Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-04-02

nave ulHerent plan. Inc uesl
schools in the country are those that
have been taught several terms by
the same teachers. The teacher 3
work is hard and he in position of
responsibility A man who works
with his brain, his nerves. his mem
tai organization, brings hamse!f into
the work-he works with his entire
being, body and soul An Irishman
who was sold that his conscience
ought not to allow him to dig so
slowly replied, My conscience was
not hired, only my body" But the
teacher can set up no such plea, he
must give himself body, mind, heart
and conscience-his whole being to
the work. This is the reason his
work is SO hard, so very hard he
tries not only his body, but all his
thinking, sympathizing, imagining
and devising powers. This mears
exhaustion. which is more than the
WEAKNESS which comes from muscle
moving, yet his wages are small
when compared with those got by
men who merely use muscle. To
hold place of responsibility always
adds to wages-or should do so. No
one holds more responsible posi-
ton than the teacher. The good
ness as well as the intelligence of
this generation is to be handed to
the next by the teachers. If there
is to be yeracity, honesty, industry,
intelligence, right thinking and right
doing ten, twenty or thirty years
from now, it will be owing chiefly to
the skill and faithfulness of the
teachers of to-day. Let man think
of this and he cannot but feel that
a great burden is put on the teach
er. Yet his wages in this county on
an average amount 70 1902 for
years services. After paying his
board, at the rate of $l2 per month,
he has $5S left with which to pay
for his clothing, books, papers, doc
tor bills and other incidental ex-
penses. What inducement or en-
couragement has the teacher, in
monetary point Of view, to do good
work? | sometimes hear it said
that teachers do not earn the money
they get. That we can get teach
ers for less money. This may be
true in some instances. There may
be drones in all hives. But the hon
est conscientious teacher who is
making teaching a PROFESSIONALS
life work, should be paid more for
his services than he is now receiv-
ing, though it is difficult task to
convince the boards of education of
this fact. Some of the best men in
the county are members of our
school boards. AS class they are
men of intelligence, sound discretion
and good business qualifications.
The position they occupy requires
them to have an eye TO the interest
of the taxpayers as well as the
cause Of education, and they appear
to be unwilling to increase the rate
of taxation until there is better work
done by the teacher all along the
line. Teachers, as means to Sc
cure better pay, let us all take the
three sure, and it seems only steps
to higher Observation-Disclosures, Pro
fessional Skill and knowledge. Let
us all try to do better work-teach
better. Let us increase the excel
lence of teaching so much that in
ferior teachers will not be tolerated
at any price, however small In
this communication I have only Civ
en- a glimpse Of some of the promi
nent points in the educational work
of the country. Next week / will
make report by districts in which
/ shall endeaver to notice all points
of interest. III. S. BUTTS,
County Superintendent.